DUers Advice Needed

[earthsea wizard]

I am seriously considering starting up a PAC/527 with one (of many) stated purpose being to beat the drum for media regulation in the US.

My question is this, other than the promotion of media regulation, can you think of any other way to influence media news reporting towards a more progressive voice in the future?

Let me know :)

thanks

[The Spirit of JFK]

1. Perhaps as a start

Make it a public interest policy.

Media outlets, while wielding an enormous amount of influence over the public, have really no accountability to anyone. I say we force the issue. According to SustainAbility, a leading business consultancy, media companies should:

• Establish - at board level - whether the balance between public interest and commercial imperatives is being strategically reviewed, properly managed and publicly disclosed.

• Consider compliance with laws, regulations and industry codes as the absolute minimum for good governance — and commit to ‘beyond compliance’ standards wherever possible; Adopt and publicize ethical codes of conduct, and clear statements of their corporate values and principles; and Engage regularly with key stakeholders, ensuring that inclusive policies and processes are adopted right across the business.

• Provide leadership in terms of triple bottom line accounting, auditing and reporting.

• Disclose all proprietorial cross-ownerships and influence.

• Declare editorial policy — both general and issue specific — and political allegiances.

• Be open in relation to all sources of funds that could influence editorial and programming content — including their biggest advertisers, sponsors and production subsidies.

• Regularly report direct and indirect lobbying activities, both undertaken and accepted.

I would also propose a much more visible and mandatory ombudsman type panel for each outlet to review and report factual errors and allegations of bias. Errors and corrections should be reported by the source that printed/broadcast them AND be of public record. And any outlet that abuses these rules, refuses to report them, or commits to many factual errors should be sanctioned in some way. Perhaps being labeled "Reality based Entertainment" instead of "News", revoking of some press priveleges, or being gagged while corrected/rediculed by Al Franken, Michael Moore, and Arian Huffington.

I suppose that while this might border on regulation, it would mostly serve to bring everything into the open. The media outlets and their corporate ownership would know that we know all, and therefore would have to be a lot more self-conscious and take a little more responsibility as the Fourth Estate.